Wednesday, October 31, 2007

The Fokker M.19 was a reasonably successful Fokker biplane that entered German service as the Fokker D.III, but was mainly used as a training aircraft.The Fokker M.21 was a biplane fighter aircraft based on the earlier Fokker D.I but powered by the 160hp Mercedes D.III engine.The Fokker M.22 was a Fokker biplane developed in the autumn of 1916 and accepted by the German army as a training aircraft with the designation Fokker D.V.The Fokker D.III was the German army designation for the Fokker M.19 biplane, initially ordered in 1916 as a fighter, but soon relegated to training duties.The Fokker D.IV was the German army designation for the M.21 biplane, a fighter aircraft that appeared at almost the exact moment that the long-running quality control problems with Fokker aircraft resulting in them being withdrawn from front line service.The Fokker D.V was the German army designation for the Fokker M.22 biplane, ordered as a training aircraft in October 1916.

The Canopus class of pre-dreadnought battleships are best known for the absence of their name ship HMS Canopus from the battle of Coronel (1914).HMS Albion was a Canopus class pre-dreadnought battleship that served on a variety of overseas posts in 1914 before joining the fleet attacking the Dardanelles in February 1915.HMS Glory was a Canopus class pre-dreadnought battleship that helped escort the first Canadian troop convoy across the Atlantic in 1914, before spending most of the First World War at Murmansk and Archangel.HMS Goliath was a Canopus class pre-dreadnought battleship that served off the east coast of Africa and on the Dardanelles in the early years of the First World War.HMS Ocean was a Canopus class pre-dreadnought battleship lost during the naval attempt to force the Dardanelles on 18 March 1915.HMS Vengeance was a Canopus class battleship that served as the flagship of Admiral de Robeck at the Dardanelles.30 October

A rotary engine is an internal combustion engine where the pistons rotate around the crankshaft. They were used on many First World War fighter aircraft.The counter rotary engine was developed by Siemens under the Siemens-Halske brand in an attempt to overcome some of the main limitations with rotary engines.

Monday, October 29, 2007

The Majestic class pre-dreadnoughts were the oldest British battleships to see active service at sea during the First World WarHMS Majestic was the name ship of the Majestic class of pre-dreadnought battleships. During the First World War she saw service with the Dover Patrol and at the Dardanelles, where she became the only member of the class to be sunk in action.HMS Caesar was a Majestic class battleship that took part in the fighting on the Belgian coast in 1914 before spending most of the rest of the First World War on the North American and West Indies station.HMS Hannibal was a Majestic class pre-dreadnought battleship that served as an east coast guardship before being disarmed in 1915.HMS Illustrious was a Majestic class pre-dreadnought used as a guardship early in the First World War.HMS Jupiter was a Majestic class pre-dreadnought battleship that served as a guard ship on the east coast during 1914 before brief spells in Russia, the East Indies and Egypt.HMS Magnificent was a Majestic class pre-dreadnought battleship that was later used as a troop ship during the Gallipoli campaign.HMS Mars was a Majestic class pre-dreadnought battleship that served as a guardship before being disarmed and used as a troopship.HMS Prince George was a Majestic class battleship that helped protect the BEF as it crossed the channel in 1914, and then took part in the Gallipoli campaign.HMS Victorious was the least active member of the Majestic class of pre-dreadnought battleships, acting as a guardship and then a repair ship during the First World War.

Sunday, October 28, 2007

The Fokker B.II was the Austro-Hungarian designation for the Fokker M.17E biplane, used as a training aircraft by their air force from 1916 until 1918.The Fokker B.III was the Austro-Hungarian designation for the Fokker M.18, used in Austrian service as a training aircraft to prepare front-line pilots for the introduction of the Brandenburg D.IThe Fokker D.I was the first Fokker biplane fighter to see service with the German Army during the First World War.The Fokker D.II was the German army designation for the Fokker M.17Z biplane, ordered as a replacement for the Fokker E.II monoplane fighter aircraft in 1916The Fokker M.16 was one of a series of biplanes designed adopted by Anthony Fokker in an attempt to find a replacement for his successful monoplanes, as was the Fokker M.17The Fokker M.18 was a further development of the earlier M.16 biplane, and was accepted by both the Germans and Austro-Hungarians for military service.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

The four monitors of the Abercrombie class were built to take advantage of four twin 14in turrets, offered to Great Britain by Charles M. Schwab, president of the American company Bethlehem Steel.The eight monitors of the Lord Clive class were virtual repeats of the Abercrombie class monitors, but armed with British 12in guns instead of the 14in American guns used on the earlier ships.The two Marshal Soult class ships were probably the least successful monitors built for the British navy during the First World War.The two Gorgon class monitors had been built as coastal battleships for the Norwegian navy, but in 1914 they were taken over by the Royal Navy.

The Fokker M.7 was the first good biplane to be produced by Anthony Fokker.The Fokker B.I was an Austro-Hungarian designation allocated to forty Fokker M.7 and M.10 aircraft, ordered early in the First World War.

Friday, October 26, 2007

The Humber class monitors were originally ordered by Brazil to serve on their rivers but were taken over by the Royal Navy in 1914HMS Humber was the name ship of the Humber class of monitors, a class of ships originally built for Brazil but taken over by the Royal Navy at the start of the First World War.HMS Mersey was a Humber class monitor that served off the coast of Belgium and the east coast of Africa during the First World War.HMS Severn was a Humber class monitor that also took part in fighting off the Belgian coast and the east coast of Africa during the First World War.

Admiral John Jellicoe was the commander of the British Grand Fleet during the first two years of the First World War. In that role he commanded the fleet at the battle of Jutland, the only fleet battle of the entire war.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

The two Birkenhead class light cruisers were originally ordered by the Greek government, and were based on the British Chatham class of cruisers.HMS Birkenhead was the name ship of the Birkenhead class of light cruisers, two “town” class cruisers taken over from the Greeks in 1915.HMS Chester was a Birkenhead class light cruiser, originally ordered by the Greek government as the Lambros Katsonis.

HMS Calliope was the name ship of the Calliope class of light cruisers, two ships very similar to the Caroline class cruisers but with geared turbine engines.HMS Champion was a Calliope class light cruiser that fought at the battle of Jutland as leader of the 13th Destroyer Flotilla

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

HMS Caroline was the name ship of the Caroline class of light cruisers, and is the only survivor of the battle of Jutland still afloat.HMS Carysfort was a Caroline class light cruisers that spent part of the First World War with the Harwich Force.HMS Cleopatra was a Caroline class light cruisers that spent the First World War with the Harwich Force, taking part in the attack on the Zeppelin base as Tondern.HMS Conquest was a Caroline class light cruiser that was badly damaged during the German raid on Lowestoft of 25 April 1916.HMS Cordelia was a Caroline class light cruiser that spent the First World War with the Grand Fleet, as part of the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron from January 1915-1917 and then the 4th Light Cruiser Squadron from 1917 until April 1919.HMS Comus was a Caroline class light cruisers that spent the First World War with the Grand Fleet, fighting at the battle of Jutland.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

HMS Royalist was an Arethusa class light cruiser that fought at the battle of Jutland.HMS Undaunted was an Arethusa class light cruiser, completed in August 1914. She spend almost the entire war with the Harwich Force, joining it as the leader of the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla at the end of August 1914.HMS Phaeton was an Arethusa class light cruiser that saw service with the Grand Fleet, at the Dardanelles and at the battle of Jutland.

David Beatty was one of the most senior British admirals during the First World War, winning fame as the commander of the battlecruiser squadron from 1913 to 1916, before serving as commander in chief of the Grand Fleet and First Sea Lord.

HMS Inconstant was an Arethusa class light cruiser that took part in the battle Jutland during the First World War.HMS Galatea was an Arethusa class light cruiser that served at Harwich and with the Grand Fleet, taking part in the battle of Jutland.HMS Penelope was an Arethusa class light cruiser that was based at Harwich during the First World War.

Sunday, October 21, 2007

The Arethusa class of light cruisers marked a shift in the design of British light cruisers. They were smaller but faster than the various series of Town class cruisers, and were designed to operate with the destroyer flotillas.HMS Arethusa was the name ship of the Arethusa class of light cruisers, and the only member of the class to be sunk during the First World War.HMS Aurora was an Arethusa class light cruiser that served with the Harwich Force for most of the First World War.

The Caroline class light cruisers were the first “C” class cruisers, of which twenty four ships in seven classes saw service during the First World War.The Calliope class light cruisers were the last two cruisers of the 1913 British naval construction programme and were modified versions of the Caroline class cruisers, built with geared turbines.

Friday, October 19, 2007

The Birmingham class light cruisers were slightly improved versions of the previous Chatham class, carrying one extra 6in gun on the forecastle, but otherwise virtually identicalHMS Birmingham was the name ship of the Birmingham class of light cruisers, sometimes known as part of the Town class. She took part in all three of the main naval battles of the First World War in the North Sea.HMS Lowestoft was a Birmingham class light cruiser. She took part in the battles of Heligoland Bight and Dogger Bank, but was being posted to the Mediterranean before Jutland.HMS Nottingham was a Birmingham class light cruiser sunk by three torpedoes from U-52 in August 1916.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

The Chatham class light cruisers were a distinct improvement over the previous Weymouth class of ships, with a narrow band of armour at the waterlineHMS Chatham was the name ship of the Chatham class of light cruisers. She played a part in the destruction of the German commerce raider Konigsberg in 1914 and was present at GallipoliHMS Dublin was a Chatham class light cruiser that took part in the search for the Goeben and the Breslau in 1914, the early stages of the Gallipoli campaign and the battle of JutlandHMAS Brisbane was a Chatham class light cruiser built at the Cockatoo Dockyard in Sydney. She was the first large ship built at that dockyard, and was laid down in the same month that the yard was purchased by the Commonwealth of AustraliaHMAS Sydney was a Chatham class light cruiser built for the new Royal Australian Navy in 1911-13. She is best known for defeating the German raider Emden in a gun battle off the Cocos Islands.HMAS Melbourne was a Chatham class light cruiser built for the Royal Australian Navy between 1911 and 1913